Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-10-22
SAVED BY A JACK.
A story of the PlainA
BY FRANK W. CALKINS.

BY FRANK W. CALKINs.
One hot evening in the summer of
1877, the writer, with three other young
men, was camped out on the bank of
the South Platte river, some so miles
above the little station of Julesburgh.
We had embarrassed the horses from
our big wagon and picketed them out
to feed near the high stockade of
solitary ranch station. Over the top
of the stockade posts the grass-grown
roofs of several adobe cabins were visi-
bic. On the roof of one of these a
half-grown antelope kid was indnstri-
ously cropping the herbage. and by its
side lay another, serenley asleep. its
head thrown back over its shoulder.
Beyond the stockade and adjoining
it, was another inclosure of several
acres. surrounded by a high board
fence; a large stock corral, in fact in
which several ponies were standing.
lazily whisking away the flies. evidently
too much overcome by the flies to
make any further exertion. These and
the antelopes were the only signs OF life
about the place.
"Guess this ranch takes care of it
SELF" remarked one Of our party, who
at that moment was attending to a
skillet of venison steak over fire Of
dry drift sticks. which he had picked
up on the banks of the river. Guess
old Cliff would stir up these fellows. if
be knew they all went off'n left the
house with couple of tame antelopes
for guard"
On the first hating for the night, we
had ratified at the gate of the stockade.
in the hope that we might be let in and
given chance for fresh water at the
we'll; but the gate was barred inside.
and the place was apparently deserted.
We rather wondered at that, for we
had heard of this ranch. and knew il
to be one of the Cattle King" 'Clif's
out-post-a ground up point for the
great range over which his thousands
of cattle fed. winter and summer. But
as we sat down to our supper OF bis
cults, steak. canned tomatoes, and
coffee. we heard the big gate OF the
stockade squeak on its hinges. and
moment later there sauntered out to Us
a tall. strapping young fellow in wool
en- shirt and buckskin leggins. He hat
on his head wide brimmed, white
wool hat with red leather band, ant
on his feet high-topped. high-heele'
boots, at the counters Of which jingle'
pair of Spanish spurs.
There was also pair Of big Colts
in his belt. His wooden shirt was ope
in front, the sleeves were rolled up t
the elbow and the deep tan-color of hi
arms matched we'll the bronze of tn
breast, neck and face. He had tn
biggest and fiercest of black moustact
es and pair of sharp black eyes t
match it.
A remarkable figure, perhaps th
reader may think, but one that, wit
Isome modification of form or feature
: will soon grow familiar to the campe
in the ''cattle country"
"Hullo." feilers!' ~ said this specime
! cowboy, as he came up and leaned hi
elbow upon the hind wheels of OF
wagon.
|, "Hullo," said we; and then. in th
! short suggestive parlance of the coul
try. we asked. "Eat P'
You betr' was the cheerful rejoin'
: er, and the stockman flung himse
i down into the circle about our oilclot
: and was helped to pint cup OF coli
! and some tomatoes. and helped hinse
0 literally to biscuit and fried antelope
y "Got nothin' but cold grub in Il
r the ranch" he explained bet wee
9 mouthfuls, "an' it's too mighty hot
I makes fires now. Nobody here but m
: boys gone up on Lodge Pold to run
!. the strays. Ben asleep all the afte
; noon. Ratified the gate did ye? Wa
h now, l must be a snoozer! Curis VIII
is risks a man'll take in this countr
4 Now. here's you fellows trailn' abo
d all alone, the four of We. and me he
a-sleepin' alone, in 'dobe, an
,s hundred Cheyennes turned loose
W the country above"
!" Fact" he said, cody. noticing o
!: looks of surprise. not unmixed wi
Of alarm. "Yes. sir; runner come do'
n from the ranch above an warned I
at Yesterday. They've gutted one ran
az up there. killed a cowman an run OF
ID lot O. stock; expect EN- down here
X time. A lot of 'em come down hi
last year and caught us snoozin,' rig
in broad day noon. too"
It, The reader may be sure we were
NJ a little alarmed at such news thou
re ,ra hardly knew whether to credit